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Last week, I spent a day in prison in Norco California at the California
Rehabilitation Center. I arrived some time after eight in the morning and
waited at the gate while the officer in charge tried to locate Violetta Peters, the
arts facilitator, who was expecting me. It took some time since I had given him
the name Dobbs to give to her not realizing that he had all my paperwork in
front of him under Richard Hartshorne. He said to park a half mile up the
road. “What about my stuff?” “You’re not bringing any stuff in here.” It all got
cleared up when Violetta arrived and I parked on some zebra stripes right in
front of the gate. Once inside we got into an enormous rattley old pickup
truck and I sat with the bass in my lap and the neck out the passenger side
window. We wound through the prison and up the hill to where the women’s
division was. Violetta is a youngish, attractive, light skinned African American
with short hair and a bright pleasant manner. She’s new at the job and seems
to love it. I was her first outside artist. “You’re in luck”, she said. “There’s a
holiday potluck for the staff in the room you’ll be playing in. So we’ll get a
good lunch, including grilled turkey.” It all became clear to me. I’d seen a
man cooking a turkey on a grill outside the gate where I’d been waiting. I
couldn’t make that sight fit anywhere in my head so I’d just dismissed it. Of
course..... now I get it......the staff potluck and no fires allowed inside the
gates.
Rehabilitation Center. I arrived some time after eight in the morning and
waited at the gate while the officer in charge tried to locate Violetta Peters, the
arts facilitator, who was expecting me. It took some time since I had given him
the name Dobbs to give to her not realizing that he had all my paperwork in
front of him under Richard Hartshorne. He said to park a half mile up the
road. “What about my stuff?” “You’re not bringing any stuff in here.” It all got
cleared up when Violetta arrived and I parked on some zebra stripes right in
front of the gate. Once inside we got into an enormous rattley old pickup
truck and I sat with the bass in my lap and the neck out the passenger side
window. We wound through the prison and up the hill to where the women’s
division was. Violetta is a youngish, attractive, light skinned African American
with short hair and a bright pleasant manner. She’s new at the job and seems
to love it. I was her first outside artist. “You’re in luck”, she said. “There’s a
holiday potluck for the staff in the room you’ll be playing in. So we’ll get a
good lunch, including grilled turkey.” It all became clear to me. I’d seen a
man cooking a turkey on a grill outside the gate where I’d been waiting. I
couldn’t make that sight fit anywhere in my head so I’d just dismissed it. Of
course..... now I get it......the staff potluck and no fires allowed inside the
gates.
The room was quite large and there were over a hundred chairs. The largest inmate audience I’d played for except in New
Hampshire prisons. The days of thousands of inmates gathering together to hear Johnny Cash are gone, everywhere.
The women filed in and looked at me expectantly. We waited while a number of them used the private restroom, probably a
welcome privilege, but it was a bit like school age kids, one getting permission and then dashing out after another.
Hampshire prisons. The days of thousands of inmates gathering together to hear Johnny Cash are gone, everywhere.
The women filed in and looked at me expectantly. We waited while a number of them used the private restroom, probably a
welcome privilege, but it was a bit like school age kids, one getting permission and then dashing out after another.
Before I played I told them of my love for Bach and the Suites and how
if they were open to it, it would affect them emotionally. I asked them
to listen to the silences between the movements to try and see how
they all fit together into one piece. They were breathtakingly still.
Afterwards many of them were on their feet cheering. I asked them if
they had felt anything and there was an audible groan of affirmation.
After a bunch of questions I told the story of my lost turtle. I measure
audiences by how soon they figure out that it is supposed to be funny.
These women were laughing as I started the turtle music, and when I
came to the line, “He was gone” there were sympathetic moans and
“Oh no’s”. By the time I was singing, “Since I don’t have him, my
turtle”, they were howling. After more questions, I asked them if they
wanted to hear a love story, “Yeah”, or are you sick of love stories?”
Even more “Yeah’s”, but they were grinning. I ended with Mayonnaise
if they were open to it, it would affect them emotionally. I asked them
to listen to the silences between the movements to try and see how
they all fit together into one piece. They were breathtakingly still.
Afterwards many of them were on their feet cheering. I asked them if
they had felt anything and there was an audible groan of affirmation.
After a bunch of questions I told the story of my lost turtle. I measure
audiences by how soon they figure out that it is supposed to be funny.
These women were laughing as I started the turtle music, and when I
came to the line, “He was gone” there were sympathetic moans and
“Oh no’s”. By the time I was singing, “Since I don’t have him, my
turtle”, they were howling. After more questions, I asked them if they
wanted to hear a love story, “Yeah”, or are you sick of love stories?”
Even more “Yeah’s”, but they were grinning. I ended with Mayonnaise
A crew of three or four women stayed on to set up for the potluck. I was wandering around the room looking at pictures of
the original building, built in 1931 as a grand hotel, when one of the women gave me the “Come over here” hand gesture.
We talked for a while and then I helped them set up the tables for the meal. Meanwhile, Violetta was setting off on a quest
and asked if I wanted to accompany her. “Sure.” The quest was for the keys to the chaplains office to get a sound system
the original building, built in 1931 as a grand hotel, when one of the women gave me the “Come over here” hand gesture.
We talked for a while and then I helped them set up the tables for the meal. Meanwhile, Violetta was setting off on a quest
and asked if I wanted to accompany her. “Sure.” The quest was for the keys to the chaplains office to get a sound system
for the staff party. We went outside and down a long flight of steps past rows
of staff buildings to a particular office where we found that no one there had
the keys. That the locksmith was not answering his phone, and that the
chaplain had given his extra set to a volunteer who was somewhere. We
walked back up the stairs and around to the women’s gate. The officer there
thought he had the keys so he locked the gate and walked with us to the
office, rounding up a few volunteers to help carry the system on the way. He
tried twenty or so keys but couldn’t open it. So Violetta suggested we walk
down the hill to the men’s gate where the chaplain was in his other office.
There are something like 8 000 men and 650 women so it’s a huge facility.
Except for the original hotel building, which is not currently being used, it is all
small units housing 100 to 200 inmates. They are constructing new dorms
of staff buildings to a particular office where we found that no one there had
the keys. That the locksmith was not answering his phone, and that the
chaplain had given his extra set to a volunteer who was somewhere. We
walked back up the stairs and around to the women’s gate. The officer there
thought he had the keys so he locked the gate and walked with us to the
office, rounding up a few volunteers to help carry the system on the way. He
tried twenty or so keys but couldn’t open it. So Violetta suggested we walk
down the hill to the men’s gate where the chaplain was in his other office.
There are something like 8 000 men and 650 women so it’s a huge facility.
Except for the original hotel building, which is not currently being used, it is all
small units housing 100 to 200 inmates. They are constructing new dorms
At last success. Daddy opens the door and we wheel the sound system into the room
where the turkey is now being carved. I get some food, with a little trepidation, as
Daddy had told us that he wasn’t eating the lunch. “Brought my own.” Violetta
explained that at the last staff potluck, a month ago, several people had gotten sick
from a paella that had sat too long in the sun and several more had been hospitalized.
I avoided the mayonnaise and luckily there was no fish. The turkey was very good and
I had seen it cooking so I knew it was safe.
We get in the old pickup again and head down to the men’s section. On the way, we
see a staff member in drug rehab who had volunteered to drive an older inmate to LA a
few weeks ago, when he was released. But unfortunately, a young nephew had shown
up and taken the man away. The nephew had a bad feel to him and everyone was
worried about this guy, and sure enough, he had shown up in an LA hospital, gut shot
and in critical condition. The staff member swore and was visibly upset and Violetta
apologized for springing the news on him.
where the turkey is now being carved. I get some food, with a little trepidation, as
Daddy had told us that he wasn’t eating the lunch. “Brought my own.” Violetta
explained that at the last staff potluck, a month ago, several people had gotten sick
from a paella that had sat too long in the sun and several more had been hospitalized.
I avoided the mayonnaise and luckily there was no fish. The turkey was very good and
I had seen it cooking so I knew it was safe.
We get in the old pickup again and head down to the men’s section. On the way, we
see a staff member in drug rehab who had volunteered to drive an older inmate to LA a
few weeks ago, when he was released. But unfortunately, a young nephew had shown
up and taken the man away. The nephew had a bad feel to him and everyone was
worried about this guy, and sure enough, he had shown up in an LA hospital, gut shot
and in critical condition. The staff member swore and was visibly upset and Violetta
apologized for springing the news on him.
The inmates setting up chairs and the little stage are all members of
bands. They have a rock band , a reggae band, and a norteño band. I
hang around talking to them for a half hour or so and Violetta shows me
her space for art and music. There is even a recording studio. I ask one
guy how often they rehearse, “Monday through Friday”, and they
perform whenever there’s an event. They are all playing at the holiday
concert the next day. The drummer told me he had just taken up drums
in prison six months ago. After the concert, he really wanted me to listen
to some sampling that he had done, but I had a Trout rehearsal in LA that
evening. I said that I’d be back and would love to listen and coach.
Make it before eight months, otherwise I’ll be out. I gave him my card
and said drop me an email to let me know how you’re doing. They ask
me what I am playing, and I say, “it’s a surprise”. As the men file in I hear
bands. They have a rock band , a reggae band, and a norteño band. I
hang around talking to them for a half hour or so and Violetta shows me
her space for art and music. There is even a recording studio. I ask one
guy how often they rehearse, “Monday through Friday”, and they
perform whenever there’s an event. They are all playing at the holiday
concert the next day. The drummer told me he had just taken up drums
in prison six months ago. After the concert, he really wanted me to listen
to some sampling that he had done, but I had a Trout rehearsal in LA that
evening. I said that I’d be back and would love to listen and coach.
Make it before eight months, otherwise I’ll be out. I gave him my card
and said drop me an email to let me know how you’re doing. They ask
me what I am playing, and I say, “it’s a surprise”. As the men file in I hear
that question being asked and the band members repeating, “It’s a surprise”. “We start late because one of the groups
has not arrived, and Violetta goes out looking for them. One of the teachers takes advantage of the time to teach his class
of about ten inmates a lesson in square roots. The inmates in the rows behind them are calling out the right answers and
he says, “ Hey you guys, quit that”. I explain to the audience of 150 or so about the silence, and it’s going really well when,
during the Sarabande of the third suite, an officer bangs in the door with a group of inmates and they’re making noise in
the back of the room. I see my audience turning around and staring at them in disgust. After the suite, I tell them that it
was kind of an object lesson in understanding that when the silence is broken, the mood is broken. The officer was
searching the inmates before taking them outside the gate. Violetta had offered him her art space but he thought it would
be easier in the hall where he always did it. I did the “Turtle” and “Mayonnaise”, and ended with “Scenes From Movies That
Should Have Been Cut”. There were lots of great questions about music and what it was like in Palestine and Afghanistan.
I shook hands with most of the men and said goodbye to the band members. It had come out in the questions that I spoke
Spanish, so the singer in the Norteño band said, “Feliz Navidad” and I said, “Igualmente”. I said goodbye to Violetta and we
talked about what we could do next time including having a master class for some classical guitar and flute players and
coaching the bands. I thanked her for a great day and she said “You made me look good”.
has not arrived, and Violetta goes out looking for them. One of the teachers takes advantage of the time to teach his class
of about ten inmates a lesson in square roots. The inmates in the rows behind them are calling out the right answers and
he says, “ Hey you guys, quit that”. I explain to the audience of 150 or so about the silence, and it’s going really well when,
during the Sarabande of the third suite, an officer bangs in the door with a group of inmates and they’re making noise in
the back of the room. I see my audience turning around and staring at them in disgust. After the suite, I tell them that it
was kind of an object lesson in understanding that when the silence is broken, the mood is broken. The officer was
searching the inmates before taking them outside the gate. Violetta had offered him her art space but he thought it would
be easier in the hall where he always did it. I did the “Turtle” and “Mayonnaise”, and ended with “Scenes From Movies That
Should Have Been Cut”. There were lots of great questions about music and what it was like in Palestine and Afghanistan.
I shook hands with most of the men and said goodbye to the band members. It had come out in the questions that I spoke
Spanish, so the singer in the Norteño band said, “Feliz Navidad” and I said, “Igualmente”. I said goodbye to Violetta and we
talked about what we could do next time including having a master class for some classical guitar and flute players and
coaching the bands. I thanked her for a great day and she said “You made me look good”.
The rest of my trip was a mash of rehearsals, studying Armenian, and then telling my story in Armenian at a couple of
schools, and a fundraiser for an Armenian music school, and the concert at the Zipper Theatre in downtown LA where I
played the Trout Music for Children by Prokoviev and told my story in English and then Armenian. Violetta was there.
schools, and a fundraiser for an Armenian music school, and the concert at the Zipper Theatre in downtown LA where I
played the Trout Music for Children by Prokoviev and told my story in English and then Armenian. Violetta was there.
I played at one more Prison, The RJ Donovan facility near the Border with Mexico. I played in the art room and most of the
audience were guys who used the room. Afterwards an inmate handed me a slip of paper. After I read it, David Brown the
Arts Facilitator told me, “They all have it memorized. Let’s go guys” and they chanted it in unison.
”WE ARTIST ARE INDESTRUCTIBLE: EVENIN A PRISON, OR IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP, I WOULD BE ALMIGHTY IN
MY OWN WORLD OF ART, EVEN IF I HAD TO PAINT MY PICTURES WITH MY WET TONGUE ON THE DUSTY FLOOR OF
MY CELL,”
PABLO PICASSO
There are little islands of sanity and humanity and art and music in prisons and they need to be supported. Check out
David Brown’s web site, www.DavidBeck-Brown.com.
Dobbs
audience were guys who used the room. Afterwards an inmate handed me a slip of paper. After I read it, David Brown the
Arts Facilitator told me, “They all have it memorized. Let’s go guys” and they chanted it in unison.
”WE ARTIST ARE INDESTRUCTIBLE: EVENIN A PRISON, OR IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP, I WOULD BE ALMIGHTY IN
MY OWN WORLD OF ART, EVEN IF I HAD TO PAINT MY PICTURES WITH MY WET TONGUE ON THE DUSTY FLOOR OF
MY CELL,”
PABLO PICASSO
There are little islands of sanity and humanity and art and music in prisons and they need to be supported. Check out
David Brown’s web site, www.DavidBeck-Brown.com.
Dobbs
right in the middle of the prison, causing a bottleneck for traffic. I asked Violetta if the inmates worked on the project. “Oh
yes, it’s all inmate labor with supervision of course.” It’s coveted work, not only for the experience they get, but also the
highest pay. A dollar an hour.” Other jobs pay 19 cents. We find the chaplain with a couple of inmates opening and
sorting Christmas cards. “It’s a big job this time of year”, he says. He’s a heavy gruff black man with greyish white hair. He
agrees to come up the hill with us and unlock the office. He dismisses the two inmates and takes us in his old sedan.
Violetta tells me that he is the person who has gotten her though her first two months on the job, and that despite his
manner, all the inmates call him Daddy or Poppy. And sure enough every time we passed a group of inmates someone
would call out “Hey Daddy”, and he’d give them a flick of the hand. The prison is primarily for drug offences and there are
many programs that inmates can enroll in. Violetta pointed out a group coming out of class with an officer. Some of them
will come to your concert this afternoon.
yes, it’s all inmate labor with supervision of course.” It’s coveted work, not only for the experience they get, but also the
highest pay. A dollar an hour.” Other jobs pay 19 cents. We find the chaplain with a couple of inmates opening and
sorting Christmas cards. “It’s a big job this time of year”, he says. He’s a heavy gruff black man with greyish white hair. He
agrees to come up the hill with us and unlock the office. He dismisses the two inmates and takes us in his old sedan.
Violetta tells me that he is the person who has gotten her though her first two months on the job, and that despite his
manner, all the inmates call him Daddy or Poppy. And sure enough every time we passed a group of inmates someone
would call out “Hey Daddy”, and he’d give them a flick of the hand. The prison is primarily for drug offences and there are
many programs that inmates can enroll in. Violetta pointed out a group coming out of class with an officer. Some of them
will come to your concert this afternoon.
and everyone was singing along. They asked lots of questions about every conceivable thing, and near the end, one
woman said.” I’ve never listened to classical music before but you opened my eyes.” Afterwards I shook hands with most of
them and promised to come back.
woman said.” I’ve never listened to classical music before but you opened my eyes.” Afterwards I shook hands with most of
them and promised to come back.
| BACH WITH VERSE |